Former UFC lightweight, then featherweight, Manny Gamburyan will make his bantamweight (135 lbs.) debut at UFC 178 on Saturday, Sept. 27th, and the guy has never looked better. As you can see from the picture above Mike Dolce is in Manny's corner and has no doubt helped The Ultimate Fighter season 5 runner-up get down to what appears to be his optimum weight. We won't know until he gets into the Octagon with Cody Gibson in tonight's opening bout how he will fare in the 135 pound division, but he certainly looks like a new and improved version of himself -- he even has a different look in his eyes. He looks like a man who has reached his optimum state. Good job Manny!
Compare with these old pics...

Featherweight (145 lbs.) Manny:

[caption id="attachment_134108" align="aligncenter" width="409"] Here's a pic of Manny in his last fight at featherweight at UFC Fight Night 40 back in May when he lost a unanimous decision to Nik Lentz. Coincidentally (or not), Mike Dolce helped Lentz with his nutrition and weight cut for that fight.[/caption]

Lightweight (155 lbs.) Manny:

[caption id="attachment_17633" align="aligncenter" width="275"] Here's an old pic of Manny when he was fighting at lightweight.[/caption]
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[ads2]]]>http://prommanow.com/2014/09/27/pic-ufc-178s-manny-gamburyan-looks-like-a-different-person-at-bantamweight/feed/0What if you’re not experiencing the results you want because you are working too much, or too hard?http://prommanow.com/2014/09/24/what-if-youre-not-experiencing-the-results-you-want-because-you-are-working-too-much-or-too-hard/
http://prommanow.com/2014/09/24/what-if-youre-not-experiencing-the-results-you-want-because-you-are-working-too-much-or-too-hard/#commentsWed, 24 Sep 2014 17:49:43 +0000http://prommanow.com/?p=133963[caption id="attachment_117366" align="alignright" width="400"] Coach Leo Frincu with one of his star pupils, UFC women's bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey[/caption]
Most people don’t need more work. They need better results. What would you do if you found out that the reason you're not experiencing the results you want is because you are working too much, or too hard?
If you are like most athletes you are spending a lot of time lifting, running, drilling, rolling, sparring and doing other training regiments. If you are like most athletes, I know you are probably training a lot… and very intensely.
I doubt you want to hear this but believe it or not, your body can only take so much punishment before it breaks down and starts to plateau. Unless you are using performance-enhancing drugs, physically, you can only grow so much and so fast. Therefore; I have news for you. I witness a lot of inexperienced athletes, and if you are one of them, you’re probably doing too much and too fast.
Nothing is wrong with being inexperienced, it's being ignorant that gets us in trouble. We all have our limits, and you are dreaming if you think your body is different than any other human being.
However, there’s also some good news for you. All that hard training you’ve been doing probably has put you at the very top of your physical abilities. In order to further improve your performance, you must first accept this fact.
Without a doubt, you are going to say, "I can do more" ... or, "I can get stronger”, or “I can be faster". And you might even say, "Leo doesn't know what he's talking about". I agree with the first statement. You can do more, and you can definitely get a little stronger, or a little faster.
Either way, you will need to put in a lot of extra work and time to achieve very little. And your body will certainly pay the price for your gigantic ego and lack of confidence and knowledge.
If you're one of these people you have two choices:

You can stop reading and get back to your old routine and experience the same results.

You’ll continue to read with hope that you'll change something, which will eventually bring better results.

Most athletes think that more work equals better results. This is completely incorrect. Besides the tremendous amount of stress that you put on your body, you are also creating an internal state of anxiety.
It is the same as a hamster on a spinning wheel. Doing more of the same type of work will not get you better results, it will just add more doubt to your abilities to perform. In the event of a defeat, besides being disappointed, most athletes go back and continue doing more of the same bad work. And this describes more than 95% of athletes.
Let me explain further: Fifty percent of all competitors will lose their fight/match in an upcoming competition, 25% will lose the next time they compete, and 20% will lose the following time. Only 5% or less of these competitors will continue with a winning streak.
I have a question for 95% of the athletes: When you lose a fight/match and say, "I'm going to work harder next time”, do you really believe you can actually work harder than you did before? Can you genuinely admit that you didn't give your best in the first place? If you believe this, what makes you think this time around will be any different?
I am sure you’ve also wondered, “How in the hell am I going to do more this time?” Let me tell you, there isn’t more, only better. This time around you need to do something different.
What would you say if I told you that you literally need to slow down this time?
Yep, you heard me right, slow down!
Imagine looking out the window of a bullet train going 150 miles per hour. What would you see? There would be nothing but a bunch of blurry images. Well, you are “the high performance train” and these images represent your progress and mistakes. This is information about what is holding you back and what is pushing you forward. However, you can’t see this because you are rushing through the process/training. Since we do everything for a reason, it is easier to rush through and avoid dealing with ourselves rather than slowing down and acknowledging our qualities and flaws.
We are conditioned to go hard, and to go fast. We associate that type of pace with progress. We believe that is what's going to makes us faster and even mentally stronger. There is a big difference between going fast (consciously and for a reason) and rushing through (subconsciously and for no reason, although there’s always a reason).
For most athletes, rushing though and going fast is often the same thing. Growth is an asset only when it's acknowledged. Progress occurs only at one speed, yours.
Slowing down is looking within. Rushing through is looking outside. Slowing down means taking responsibility for our performance. Rushing through is blaming others for our failures.
A problem occurs when your growth speed is slower than another peer’s growth. You get in trouble when you all of sudden start comparing yourself with someone else. We only compare ourselves with someone else when we want to find something wrong with whom we are.
We are always going to compare ourselves with someone better, faster, stronger or even smarter than us. We only do this when we want to put ourselves down. Guess what? They are not you; and you are not them. We work so hard to walk in our idols footsteps, however; often times their shoes are too big, or their style just doesn’t match ours. It’s not their limits we are trying to reach, it is ours. It’s not their bodies we are trying to improve, it’s ours. It is not their expectations we should strive to meet. It is ours.
We attempt to copy a superstar athlete’s training routine and maybe even their eating regiment with hopes that one day we will perform as they do. I’m not saying to stop being inspired by someone. Rather, you just need to stop trying to be just like them. You are unique. There’s nothing wrong with being you. What would you do if I told you are good just the way you are? Often times, there's nothing wrong with you, it's just something wrong with your goals.
If you want to start seeing better results you need to start setting goals according with your potential, not according with your peer’s standards. How will you tap into your highest potential when all you do is try to meet someone else’s expectations? How can you be happy striving to achieve someone else’s goals? How are you going to find out who you truly are if you are trying to be someone else?
There are a lot of famous athletes out there with brand names and techniques. We have Ronda Rousey’s arm bar, Romulo Barral’s spider guard, Edwin Najmi's flying triangle or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's patented skyhook, just to mention a few. A lot of people will spend a lot of money trying to learn these signature moves hoping to also become a great athlete. You are setting yourself up for failure.
How about starting to acknowledge your qualities? What makes you special? What are you already doing that could be turned into something amazing? Guess what, you can’t acknowledge something good about yourself when you’re going 100 miles per hour. More work doesn’t necessarily mean better results.
If you’re not experiencing the results you want, take a look within. Who are you trying to be? Are you happy with yourself? Often times, it is harder to be yourself and easier to be someone else. You have to accept yourself in order to improve yourself. Accepting yourself is actually acknowledging your self…the good, the bad, and the ugly. That is what makes us special.
Being happy with yourself is giving the self-credit you deserve for your qualities. Being happy with who you are; is having the patience to improve yourself.
Often times, we engage in more work just because that's all we know. We believe going a little faster or a little harder is what we need in order to achieve our goals. However, it is not ourselves we want to improve, it is our idols we want to become.
This concept is not self-improvement; it is self-denial. We use food, work, exercise, strenuous training regiments, alcohol, bad habits, and addictions to distract us from who we are and how we feel. Often times, we use other people’s achievements not to motivate and strengthen us, but to subconsciously enhance our already self-defeating beliefs. Often times, working harder is not going to push us forward but rather take us further away from reality.
If it's goals we're trying to achieve, it is our pace that's going to take us there. If it's our happiness we are pursuing, meeting our real expectations is what's going to help get us there. Slow down and enjoy the journey. Sometimes it’s not getting there that counts, is how we get there that matters. Good luck.
Leo Frincu came to the United States from Communist Romania with $10, a back pack and four words of English. Now, he’s a businessman, renowned trainer and mentor for UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. Among his many athletic accomplishments, Leo is a six-time Romanian wrestling champion, four-time European champion and was also trainer and coach for the 2003 U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team. Leo is the author of the book “Choosing Freedom”, which details the steps he took to leave the oppressive Romanian society through wrestling and how his experiences have helped him in the United States – going from a bus boy to successful entrepreneur. You can learn more about Leo Frincu on his website www.LeoFrincu.com. Also, follow Leo on Twitter @leofrincu and “LIKE” his page on Facebook.Be sure to check out Leo's new book: High Performance Mentality]]>http://prommanow.com/2014/09/24/what-if-youre-not-experiencing-the-results-you-want-because-you-are-working-too-much-or-too-hard/feed/0This is why you should NEVER try to lose weighthttp://prommanow.com/2014/07/25/this-is-why-you-should-never-try-to-lose-weight/
http://prommanow.com/2014/07/25/this-is-why-you-should-never-try-to-lose-weight/#commentsFri, 25 Jul 2014 23:12:34 +0000http://prommanow.com/?p=131563We are all familiar with the continued struggle to lose weight. In this blog, I will explain why most people’s “weight loss” journey often turns sour.
Believe it or not, “losing weight” goes against universal law. Human beings, by definition, are not designed to lose, nor pursue any type of loss according to the growth principle.
Every living creature is created and exists with only one purpose: to grow… which in other words means GAIN. There is no other animal or plant that at one point in their existence decides to start shrinking.
By their nature, every living creature (people, plants, animals, insects, etc) are on this planet to acquire and gain. Plants grow taller, ants build homes, bees build hives, pigs get fatter, and animals grow bigger, just to name a few.
We play the constant game of gaining from the moment we are born until we die. We want to acquire more wealth, health, status, respect, power, money, etc… We just want more of everything, as it should be.
However, all of a sudden, at one point in our lives, human beings decide…to lose. Suddenly, people want to lose weight. Imagine a tree that at one point in its existence decides to turn down water. Or, have you ever seen a fat lion on a diet? No…because that is the opposite of the universal law.
Going against our basic growth principle is the reason why most people are unsuccessful in their weight loss journey. The only way you can succeed in losing weight, and pretty much in achieving any type of goal, is to be aligned with the universal law.
You actually need to GAIN, not LOSE. You have to not only focus on but also feel deep in your existence that you are growing. You must switch and train your thoughts to believe that it is gaining you are pursuing and not losing.
That is the ONLY way you’re going to achieve and maintain your weight loss. The more you focus on losing the weight (the number on the scale), the harder it will be. It is gaining not losing you should be pursuing. And you should be aiming higher, not lower. Good luck.
Leo Frincu came to the United States from Communist Romania with $10, a back pack and four words of English. Now, he’s a businessman, renowned trainer and mentor for UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. Among his many athletic accomplishments, Leo is a six-time Romanian wrestling champion, four-time European champion and was also trainer and coach for the 2003 U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team. Leo is the author of a new book, “Choosing Freedom,” which details the steps he took to leave the oppressive Romanian society through wrestling and how his experiences have helped him in the United States – going from a bus boy to successful entrepreneur. You can learn more about Leo Frincu on his website www.LeoFrincu.com. Also, follow Leo on Twitter @leofrincu and “LIKE” his page on Facebook.Be sure to check out Leo's new book: High Performance Mentality]]>http://prommanow.com/2014/07/25/this-is-why-you-should-never-try-to-lose-weight/feed/3One week on the Dolce Diethttp://prommanow.com/2014/04/07/one-week-on-the-dolce-diet/
http://prommanow.com/2014/04/07/one-week-on-the-dolce-diet/#commentsMon, 07 Apr 2014 23:56:38 +0000http://prommanow.com/?p=127190After 40 I began to feel a distinct change within my body. I could no longer ignore the fact that my metabolism was slowing down and that I couldn't eat anything I wanted. I was mortified! All my life I have been slim and never needed to worry about what I ate or how much I ate. Inevitably I would always maintain or lose weight without even trying. After giving birth to my son I not only lost all of the baby weight, I also managed to lose an additional five pounds and was able to wear my skinny jeans home from the hospital.
After 40 everything changed. My body felt more sluggish and what I ate started to really weigh me down. I felt tired, run-down and was really beginning to feel my age. I knew I needed to make a change in terms of my eating habits before things got out of hand. But what to do...I am not well versed on nutritional guidelines and would honestly have no way of realistically coming up with healthy recipe alternatives without some help. A close friend then introduced me to The Dolce Diet.
Initially I am skeptical about this diet plan because my perception of a diet, virtually any diet really, is that they present food options that are neither tasty nor satisfying and therefore not easy to adhere to. The only reason I decided to move forward and give The Dolce Diet a shot is because I learned that you do not focus on calorie counting. Your goal is to eat smaller healthier meals throughout the day to increase energy and boost your metabolism. So why not, give it a try. I decided I would give myself at least one full week on The Dolce Diet and then go from there.
What makes The Dolce Diet a viable option for someone like me? Well of course there's no calorie counting. And, I was able to try out lots of new, healthier food options that I probably would not have discovered on my own. Foods like agave, quinoa, chia seeds, avocados and oat bran are some of my new favorites. By incorporating some new healthier food items into my daily food preparations I am able to make healthy changes, without sacrificing taste and therefore pave the way for more permanent lifestyle changes that I can most likely stick to for the long haul.
After just a couple of days on The Dolce Diet I started to feel a lot better. I didn't feel sluggish or tired. And as the week went on the better and better I felt. The recipes I tried were incredibly simple to follow, very easy to make, tasty and also quite satisfying – namely because the food was enjoyable to eat but also made me feel great afterward. Will I be continuing with The Dolce Diet – absolutely! Thus far I have lost three pounds in 2.5 weeks, and I feel energized and am ready to commit to working out at least three times a week. Will I stick with the diet after I've reached my weight loss goal - absolutely! After all, why would I want to stop feeling this great.
To learn more about The Dolce Diet and the Living Lean Cookbook check out http://thedolcedietlivinglean.com.
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[ads2]]]>http://prommanow.com/2014/04/07/one-week-on-the-dolce-diet/feed/0Watch War Machine on Joe Rogan Experience podcast NOW! | VIDEOhttp://prommanow.com/2014/02/13/watch-war-machine-on-joe-rogan-experience-podcast-now-video/
http://prommanow.com/2014/02/13/watch-war-machine-on-joe-rogan-experience-podcast-now-video/#commentsFri, 14 Feb 2014 01:09:33 +0000http://prommanow.com/?p=125028Joe Rogan sits down with colorful MMA fighter and former porn actor War Machine (aka Jon Koppenhaver) on this episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. The guys discuss War Machine's dysfunctional family life as a youngster and how a physical altercation with his step-father eventually led to him finding his way into MMA. The guys also talk fighting, Georges St-Pierre's fear of aliens, genetics, Robbie Lawler telling War Machine he doesn't spar, gluten-free diet, War Machine spending time in jail at the same time as Floyd Mayweather, jail food, jail life, fighting on Lexapro, fighting for Bellator, Ben Askren, TRT use and much much more.
http://youtu.be/e6EdiMEfDAE
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[ads2]]]>http://prommanow.com/2014/02/13/watch-war-machine-on-joe-rogan-experience-podcast-now-video/feed/02012 Miss USA Whitney Miller wins her first BJJ tournament | VIDEOhttp://prommanow.com/2014/01/13/2012-miss-usa-whitney-miller-wins-her-first-bjj-tournament-video/
http://prommanow.com/2014/01/13/2012-miss-usa-whitney-miller-wins-her-first-bjj-tournament-video/#commentsMon, 13 Jan 2014 23:59:05 +0000http://prommanow.com/?p=123481In 2012 Whitney Miller won Miss Texas and Miss United States. Nowadays Miller has traded in her tiara for a gi and recently won her very first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament in gi and won silver in no-gi. Check out this video of the ONNIT-sponsored former beauty queen as she talks about why she decided to start competing in grappling, how her family reacted, and then watch her perform on the mats.
http://youtu.be/ysTrSg9kA4g
Nice to see that Miss Miller uses ONNIT's Alpha Brain supplement!
Want to look like a beauty queen, then check out this video of Miss Miller talking about her eating habits with MMA dietary guru Mike Dolce:
http://youtu.be/4JtdRyW-cq8
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[ads2]]]>http://prommanow.com/2014/01/13/2012-miss-usa-whitney-miller-wins-her-first-bjj-tournament-video/feed/0Monday Morning Quarterbacking With Rhadi Ferguson – January 13thhttp://prommanow.com/2014/01/13/monday-morning-quarterbacking-with-rhadi-ferguson-january-13th/
http://prommanow.com/2014/01/13/monday-morning-quarterbacking-with-rhadi-ferguson-january-13th/#commentsMon, 13 Jan 2014 22:53:32 +0000http://prommanow.com/?p=123475This week I was able to lock down Dr. Ferguson again and this time I asked him some really tough questions about two of his friends, Rashad Evans and Daniel Cormier. Dr. Ferguson has trained and consulted for Rashad and he went to the Olympic Games in 2004 with Daniel Cormier and fought in Strikeforce with him and on the same card in 2011.
He was considerably torn when this fight was announced and I wanted to get his opinion on the matchup. I tried to get him to answer some of these questions in last week's interview but we had to save it for this week.
Jack Bratcher: Well Dr. Ferguson, I hope you had a great weekend. Last week you promised me and the ProMMANow Fans that you would address the Cormier versus Evans UFC 170 co-main event and I have a few questions for you, but before that I’d like to say thanks for the great post on the 10 books that you suggested that every MMA fighter and coach should read in 2014. I know you are an avid reader. Are there any other books that didn’t make that list but could possibly be featured as “honorable mentions”?
Dr. Ferguson: Thanks so much Jack, I wanted to provide something cognitively tangible for the students and practitioners of the game. Something that was both edifying and challenging. Edifying in the terms of gaining knowledge and challenging in terms of change. Many people want to achieve certain things, great things, with the same type of thinking and actions which have gotten them to where they are. And if you are stuck in your MMA career or sporting career as a coach or athlete, most of the time it's not because you are not working hard. The good things and the problems or potholes in your career are actually a manifestation of what you’ve done currently and what you know. And in order for you to get better and improve and to get past this particular “sticking point” you are going to have to do some things differently. And reading and developing as a more well-rounded participant in the sport has really helped me personally and the clients which I have coached. Albert Einstein is quoted as having said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” With that being said, I wanted to provide some things that would allow people to “think” differently.
Now in terms of other books that I didn’t have the opportunity to mention. Well, I love the show Scandal with Kerri Washington and my interest in the show caused me to really look into the real life character after which Kerri’s character, Olivia Pope, is modeled. And in doing so, I also read the book “Good Self, Bad Self: Transforming Your Worst Qualities Into Your Biggest Assets.” It was a great book that I read in 2013 and was recommended to me by one of my advisors as I still have some issues and hurdles with the transition from elite/professional athlete to general population. Mentally, I’m still an athlete but I have to realize that the people around me are not around me to fight me. And because I’m trained in confrontation….. confrontation is what I do and people in the general population are not really that confrontational. And those who claim to be “type A's” in terms of personality, aren’t so much so when there are other “type A's’ around. And that book taught me a great deal about myself and actually helped me during the time when I was writing my book, “Enhance or Destroy: Relationship Lessons From An Elite Athlete.” So I would definitely add that book by Judy Smith to the reading list in 2014 and also of course my book. That’s a shameless plug. So shameless. And, I would be remiss if I did not recommend the book of one of my mentors, Dr. Ann Maria de Mars, “Winning On The Ground: Training and Techniques for Judo and MMA Fighters.”
Jack Bratcher: Okay, Doc, so let me have it. Who do you think is going to win between Evan and Cormier?
Dr. Ferguson: Jack, you put me on the spot. I will say this and I will answer honestly. I really do not know. It is a really tough fight for Cormier’s first fight at 205. I truly believe that Cormier is doing the right thing by establishing his dietary practices early. The one thing that he did not do during his wrestling career was, totally and completely, put his nutritional practices in the hands of a professional and follow the advice 100%. As a collegiate wrestler and someone used to cutting and losing weight there are some things that you can get away with when you are younger that do not necessarily work as you age. I think that Cormier got into a situation where poor eating and nutritional practices just caught up with him as I’ve seen it happen to many weight-cutters. He’s now down in weight and I think he’ll be 215 about 10 days before the fight and, if under the watch of a professional, will actually try to get down to 205 without using the sauna. If he does use the sauna, it will be to force the water out but he can make 205 without ever getting into the sauna. And please do not email or hit me on Twitter and ask me how because I charge money for that answer. Lots of it. And yes, Mike Dolce knows the answer too, but some wrestlers just like the sauna, so if they want to use it we let them use it but you can lose the weight and never get in the sauna. There’s a quicker, faster and better way. I’ve done it with Rick Hawn, Jamal Patterson, Ronda Rousey and some of the Olympians that I’ve trained.
The biggest issue is going to be Daniel’s ability to make 205 and then to properly rehydrate. Rehydration is a very complex math problem which includes the variable of absorption rate, maximum uptake, macronutrient profile of fuel (food), emotional regulation and most importantly, time. You have to be smart when it comes to rehydration and have things done and planned out properly. I’m not sure who Daniel is using for his cut but I’ve talked with Mike Dolce on more than a few occasions and he knows how to do this stuff. I’ve done it on several occasions and it is NOT easy by any stretch but has a huge impact on performance.
The secondary issue is going to be that of striking. I have grappled with Rashad Evans on a few occasions and I have not seen anybody, and I mean anybody, keep him down on the ground when he wants to get up. I also have not seen anybody get up if Cormier wants to keep them down. Having a discussion about who the better wrestler is, is non-sensical. Having a discussion about who the better Mixed Martial Arts fighter is, is also somewhat senseless because the bout will determine this. But what we can do is look at the skill sets and the things that each athlete brings to the table.
I think that the better striker is Rashad and that is just due from him having more time in the area of striking. However, striking is actually the application of attacking with setups with respect to distance and timing and Cormier has much more experience in that area. So much so, that it actually trumps all of Rashad’s competitive experience to date. The amount of times where Cormier has stepped on the line and operated under pressure is not comparable. I also do not think that Rashad has ever lined up with an athlete the likes of Cormier. The caliber of athlete which Cormier is, makes Jon Jones look like someone on a Junior Varsity squad. I would be insulting myself if I compared Jon Jones' athleticism to mine when I was in my prime. He’s a great athlete in a good sport that does not have a lot of depth right now. That’s it. Cormier is a different animal. I used to workout side by side and do morning runs with one of Cormier’s competitor’s, Dean Morrison. Dean was an NCAA Champion and just got inducted into West Virginia’s Hall of Fame in 2013. I watched Cormier and Dean wrestle. Dean has ZERO quit in him and I watched Cormier beat him. I watched him beat a man who used to smoke me on the morning runs and would not allow me to pass him at all. I’ve been around some real deal folks. I’ve sat down and have had numerous breakfasts, lunches and dinners with the likes of Apolo Ohno, Sergei Beloglazov and several medalists and Olympians and Cormier is a special dude. Really.
Athletically, Cormier is superior. No doubt about it.
However, this is, as many will remind me, an MMA fight. And in that specific body of knowledge Rashad Evans is the veteran. And not only the veteran, in some respects, the 2nd best fighter in the world at the 205-pound weight class. Rashad does not lose and 12 of his last 13 fights were against fighters who were ranked in the top 10 of the 205-pound weight class. He knows how to handle pressure and handle it well. However, in all of those fights I’m pretty sure that he went into each of them knowing that he was the superior athlete. I’m not sure that he’s entered a fight having to mental coach himself that he is the superior MMA fighter.
The tertiary issue but of equal importance as the weight cut are Cain Velazquez, Vitor Belfort and Anthony Johnson. Not to reduce all of the other training partners that these two men have, and not to reduce the importance of the coaching staff, but at the end of the day, the performance of these two men in the Octagon is a culmination of their preparation and practices. Rashad has credited Anthony Johnson as being the MVP of his camp and I’m not sure that Cormier can have a better body to bang against in practice than Velazquez. Rashad also has Vitor Belfort to train and practice with which is also a huge asset. The breadth and depth of Rashad’s camp, with the inclusion of Tyrone Spong and others provides him with a slight advantage in terms of the high quantity of quality sparring partners. This is of a great deal of importance.
I’m not sure that Cormier has a “Rashad Evans” type of person to practice with but Anthony Johnson is as close that you can get to a Cormier-type for sparring purposes.
So, the wrestling edge is going to Cormier and the striking edge is going to Evans. The practice partner edge goes to Rashad and the Octogon IQ is also in Rashad’s favor. The question here is this. Is this a Ronda Rousey situation where the athletic development and quality of experiences is just that much greater than what is currently in today’s MMA where Cormier can dominate Evans as he’s done to Mir, Nelson, Barnett and Silva?
My heart is screaming Evans, but my brain says, Cormier. I will have to save my official pick for the week of the fight Jack when you send out the email to the staff. Now, I just cannot decide. I love both of these dudes and hearing that the fight was going to take place bothered me so much. I called Mo Lawal to talk about it.
I will have to wait for my official prediction.
Jack Bratcher: Well, what do you think about Evans saying that Cormier will not return his texts or accept his phone calls?
Dr. Ferguson: On the Olympic side of sport we may compete anywhere from 5 to 100 times a year. It’s nothing to be in a different country every week for 8 weeks. I have not done that many, but I’ve done 3 on multiple occasions.
Jack Bratcher: Three countries in 3 weeks? That’s insane.
Dr. Ferguson: Not really. It’s normal. I know for a fact that Cormier has a routine. He has one that he’s been doing for years and he does not deviate from it. I have one, I know that Ronda has one. I know that Jimmy Pedro had one that included eating Mars bars. Cormier is not deviating from his system. I remember when he was getting ready to fight Jeff Monson. He and I really did not speak. He called one time to kind of let me know that the reason that we weren’t speaking was because it was uncomfortable because he was fighting Monson, but it was a friendship call and one where he just wanted in a roundabout way to let me know that this is his way of handling things. When Rashad fights, we don’t talk. I will hit him weeks before his fight and send the same text I always send. Then about 72 hours from his weigh-in I will send a text. And that’s it. I DO not bother the dude at all. I don’t bother Ronda and will only try to contact her when she is not in the middle of a bunch of stuff. Same goes for any other pro athlete because I know they have a way of doing things.
Rashad and Cormier probably communicate often because they work for Fox but now that they are fighting, I’m sure that Cormier has his system that he has invoked for this meeting and that means creating space so that he can get in the mental zone to do his job. Rashad has punched his friends in the face on a few occasions now, Tito twice and Chael, so that’s a day at the office for him. I’m not sure that such is so for Cormier.
Jack Bratcher: One last thing before we wrap up for today because I know it’s been long. What do you think about the impact of this fight being five rounds?
Dr. Ferguson: That is huge and it was one of the reasons why I want to wait until the week of the fight to provide my prediction. The weight management issue will be huge. Since neither one of these guys are finishers, per se, it is possible that we can see this fight going five rounds. As a matter of fact, the likelihood of such happening is pretty high. So as usual round 1 will be important and the winner of that round for each corner has to be clear and evident. As such it will dictate the rest of the fight. I think it is important for Cormier to win that first round but in doing so will it zap his gas tank? I’m not sure. How he handles the cut will be important and the five rounds will definitely have an effect.
Jack Bratcher: Well, who would you have if the fight was three rounds?
Dr. Ferguson: Damn Jack! You’re not gonna let me wiggle out of this one, huh?
Jack Bratcher: Nope.
Dr. Ferguson: If it were a three-round fight at a 215 catch weight, I would put my money on Cormier. But it is not a 215 catch weight fight and it is not three rounds. It is five.
Jack Bratcher: Well Doc, if you can’t definitely go with Cormier, that means that you are going with Evans, right?
Dr. Ferguson: (laughing) Thanks so much for the interview Jack.
Jack Bratcher: Thank you Dr. Ferguson. I’ll catch you next week.
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[ads2]]]>http://prommanow.com/2014/01/13/monday-morning-quarterbacking-with-rhadi-ferguson-january-13th/feed/0Leo Frincu: Is it too hard for you?http://prommanow.com/2013/12/13/leo-frincu-is-it-too-hard-for-you/
http://prommanow.com/2013/12/13/leo-frincu-is-it-too-hard-for-you/#commentsFri, 13 Dec 2013 17:44:08 +0000http://prommanow.com/?p=122343Hard? How many times have you heard yourself or someone else say, “This is hard”. I bet you’re smiling right now thinking, geeez… all the time. However, have you ever asked yourself whathard is? Guys, there’s no doubt what the answer is when it comes down to an erection…lol. However, on a serious note, what makes something hard? Why, can something be easy for some people, and the exact thing be harder for others?
I asked this question around and since all the answers sounded almost the same … “well it depends…” that didn’t satisfy me, therefore; I searched my own. All of a sudden, as Archimedes would say, I had an “Eureka” moment… I have found it.
It is as follows…
Nothing is hard. We choose what’s hard and what’s not based on how we want to feel about ourselves at that moment. What we want/need to validate about ourselves plays a big role in labeling a task as being hard. We only classify something to be hard when we are expecting/want it to be easy(er).
When we label something as being easy it’s because we are in control. We are not in control of the situation, but are in total control of ourselves. For example: When you’re taking a test and know all the answers or are very familiar with the topic, it means you are in control of the outcome. This is classified as being easy. When you have doubts about the topic, which equals less control, it becomes challenging, thus you’ll label it as being harder. When you don’t know the subject at all, you’re not in control; therefore you’ll characterize it as being very hard. When you take two people (Bob and Sam) taking the same test and Bob is more prepared than Sam is, you can say that Bob’s in control, which means it’s harder for Sam than it is for Bob.
Now let’s take athleticism for an example. When you say a particular exercise is hard, it means you are not in control of yourself. This means you’re not happy with the way you/your body reacts to that specific exercise. Your reaction to the exercise decides the difficulty of that exercise and not the exercise itself. #highperformancementality
What makes something hard or easy is your ability to control yourself or lack thereof during that particular task. By labeling a task/goal/exercise as being hard, you’re giving it power over yourself. It controls you vs. you being in control of yourself. That would be your easy way out ;-)
Bottom line is, when you say, “This is hard”… Nothing is hard, it’s just harder than you expected.
Leo Frincu came to the United States from Communist Romania with $10, a back pack and four words of English. Now, he’s a businessman, renowned trainer and mentor for UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. Among his many athletic accomplishments, Leo is a six-time Romanian wrestling champion, four-time European champion and was also trainer and coach for the 2003 U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team. Leo is the author of a new book, “Choosing Freedom,” which details the steps he took to leave the oppressive Romanian society through wrestling and how his experiences have helped him in the United States – going from a bus boy to successful entrepreneur. You can learn more about Leo Frincu on his website www.LeoFrincu.com. Also, follow Leo on Twitter @leofrincu and “LIKE” his page on Facebook.]]>http://prommanow.com/2013/12/13/leo-frincu-is-it-too-hard-for-you/feed/0Performance Spotlight: Gamma-O V2 Series Testosterone Boosterhttp://prommanow.com/2013/11/01/performance-spotlight-gamma-o-v2-series-testosterone-booster/
http://prommanow.com/2013/11/01/performance-spotlight-gamma-o-v2-series-testosterone-booster/#commentsSat, 02 Nov 2013 00:10:04 +0000http://prommanow.com/?p=121202Testosterone boosters are increasingly sought after for athletic performance and benefits to overall wellness. The Gamma-O V2 Series Testosterone Booster from Gamma Labs reflects this growing trend.
With increased potency stemming from natural substances such as maca root powder, the Gamma-O V2 Series builds upon the foundation of its popular predecessor introduced in 2004.
Gamma oryzanol, or Gamma-O, remains the primary natural substance in the Gamma O-V2 Series. Much like testosterone boosters as a whole, the known benefits of gamma oryzanol have multiplied from the compound’s original use in treating anxiety.
Gamma-O is now widely used as a testosterone booster to increase muscle endurance and expedite athletic recovery. Gamma oryzanol is extracted from plant sterols in corn, rice and barley through a sophisticated process.
The added benefits of gamma-o include endorphin release to improve mood levels and antioxidants to safeguard against free radical damage.
The Gamma-O V2 Series features the added benefits of hormonal optimization, which can facilitate even greater gains in training and otherwise. This is achieved through the introduction of maca root powder, indole-3 carbinol and vitamin D3.
The enhanced all natural formula is designed to help athletes combat dreaded plateaus, while also realizing gains to overall well-being.
Check out www.gammalabs.net for more information.]]>http://prommanow.com/2013/11/01/performance-spotlight-gamma-o-v2-series-testosterone-booster/feed/0The Vidonic Chronicles: In the best shape of my lifehttp://prommanow.com/2013/08/29/the-vidonic-chronicles-in-the-best-shape-of-my-life/
http://prommanow.com/2013/08/29/the-vidonic-chronicles-in-the-best-shape-of-my-life/#commentsThu, 29 Aug 2013 19:24:37 +0000http://prommanow.com/?p=119158My birthday has come and past, I am now 34... My son started high school this week and I am in the best shape of my life! Still looking for a fight at 115lbs, so if you know of something, hit me up.
The day before my b-day on August 10th, some friends from Fight Syndicate in Casper, Wyo., came up to do some rolling for a few hours. Thanks Margo for bringing up some of your students for the day, it was great to do some work with you as well!
I do have some sad news that has happened to me since my birthday; my friend Di went into a diabetic coma, due to complications with her Type 1 (which she had only had for about 3 years) on my birthday and suffered severe brain damage.
We went to see her at the ICU on Thurs the 15th, and she was on life support. Di was taken off of life support the next day, Friday the 16th; she was young (29 years old) and healthy, so her body held on till early Tuesday morning the 20th. We had a fundraiser WOD called Deez Nuts in honor of her all day on Monday the 19th with a memorial potluck to follow at the end of the day.
I want to thank the other 89 of the 90 people who came in and participated in Deez Nuts WOD! That was also another gym record of workouts done in a day! Thanks to all of the other gyms everywhere who have done or are planning to do her workout, we all greatly appreciate you sweating for her!
Di always walked with dignity, she was genuine and loved every second of life. I know that she would want us to celebrate our times with her, and grieve on our own time. My guys were gone to Wyoming the week she passed and we did her WOD. Her funeral service was Saturday the 24th, and it was beautiful.
My deepest condolences go out to the Clouse family and everyone close to her, she touched everyone who was graced with her presence.
I have a balcony garden at my apartment; I have peppers, tomatoes, aloe, rosemary, mint, oregano, along with some other flowering plants. My jalapenos are super spicy, and the bells are crispy and mellow. I want to stuff them with some chicken and herbs!
I am truly thankful for all of my sponsors ~ Nutrabio for making sure that all of my supplemental needs are met. Training Mask, for giving me a tool to improve both my physical and mental capabilities as an athlete; I am a cardio machine! Soap-a-licious makes sure my skin is healthy and I am smelling fresh and clean. Dawgs 4Ever 4Ever Dawgs is a huge supporter of MMA, thanks Paul for your continued love and support! Thanks to Damage Control for keeping my teeth in place on my face, hahaha. Another person truly deserving of a shout out is Andrew Vecere with Vecere & Little PC Law Firm for helping me out.
I want to thank my MMA coach, husband, manager and best friend; I am grateful to have you to push me whether I want to be or not. You always have my best interest and you are willing to stand up for me in any instance. Thanks for the teamwork!
I want to shout out to my gym Alternative Athletics Crossfit and 4th Ave. Dojo, this is truly the best place on earth!!
I want to say thanks to all of my fans, family, and friends for all of your continued love and support!. Thanks to Jack and Denny with ProMMANow; as well as my sponsors ~ Soap-a-licious.com ~ Training Mask~ Nutrabio.com ~ Damage Control Mouthguards ~ Solo Graphics ~ Dawgs 4ever 4ever Dawgs

He had taken 14 months off to film “The A-Team” and “The Ultimate Fighter.” He came into camp 51 pounds overweight before the fight -- seven weeks and six days before the fight.

We weren’t behind schedule, but we weren’t ahead of schedule. But I worry. I wasn’t satisfied with it. I talked to Quinton and he said, "I’m not cheating. I’m not doing anything wrong."

A day does by and we go to train. It’s a three-story house and Quinton lives on the top floor. He forgets his gym bag, so I say I’ll go up there and get his gym bag. I go up and look and I see something that doesn’t look right inside his pillow — a purple box, or a square. I say, "What the hell is that?" I walk over and see it’s a candy bar, a Cadbury fruit and nut candy bar. There were four of them. Under the bed there were more wrappers. So what he was doing was, we would go and get gas before the gym. We’d sit in the car and fill it up. He’d go in to pay for the gas and the window would be right there, right below window level was the candy rack. He’d buy a bunch of these candy bars and put them in his pocket and go home and eat them.

I caught it and he turned it into a joke. So I say, "What we’re going to do is compromise: You’ve got a chocolate thing. I get it. I understand it. Therefore, I’ve got a healthy alternative to it." In that area in England, the healthiest thing I could find was Nutella, which is really not that bad considering the alternative. It’s a mental thing, not a physical thing, so I start making him Nutella sandwiches, telling him, "It’s the best thing in the world — toasted, warm, crunchy and with banana slices. It’s delicious. That’s what we’ll have if you train your (butt) off. You’ll get those as a reward system." We started to do that and the weight dropped immediately.

Rampage gave his take on why he split from Dolce in an interview earlier this week with ESPN. “I’m with Soulmatefood now and they are planning all my nutrition really well," said Rampage. "I was with Mike Dolce for a while but I just got tired of him experimenting on me. I used to have to cut a lot of weight with that guy. He would give me a lot of bread and Nutella sandwiches. At the time I was loving it, but then I had to pay for it when I had to cut all the weight.”
[ads2]]]>http://prommanow.com/2013/06/21/rampage-jackson-is-a-closet-fatty/feed/1The Vidonic Chronicles: First Round Finishhttp://prommanow.com/2013/05/16/the-vidonic-chronicles-first-round-finish/
http://prommanow.com/2013/05/16/the-vidonic-chronicles-first-round-finish/#commentsFri, 17 May 2013 00:31:00 +0000http://prommanow.com/?p=115029It's been a long couple of weeks...Let me break it down a little: I fought again, I'm looking for another fight, I started an auction to benefit a local woman here in Billings battling cancer, for the second time, and there was Mom's Day.
Yes, I said it...I'm looking for a fight, as usual. lol So, I took a short notice fight (like 6 days) in Minot, ND at 125lbs. They had two opponents back out (for whatever reasons) so when they contacted me, my manager made it very clear, who I was and that she still wanted the fight if I was able to fill in. She said yes, so we drove out to North Dakota a few days later. I weighed in at 120.6 and she was 125.4.
I read an interview that she and her coach had done with the local newspaper there in Minot. It rubbed me the wrong way, to say the least; so my coach told me to "cut away from the original game plan and go in there and feed her some of mama red's humble pie." So I went in there, did my job and went home.
I also promised him a 1st round finish...You can watch my last two fights on the homepage of my website. It's all water under the bridge, this is a sport and my job. Here is the interview their local paper did right after the fight.
Once again I am looking for an MMA fight Pro at 115lbs, I am 8-5. My teammate Ryan Ferguson is looking for his pro debut at 145lbs.
A friend at the gym was talking about trying to raise some money for a friend that she grew up with here in Montana battling with cancer, yet again. So, I had confirmed my last fight with JAG, and had Polanti as a sponsor, I told her I wanted to use that to make an auction to donate the money toward her friend.
Her name is Jennifer, she is a single mom of two boys, tries as hard as she can to work part time and go through her new treatments. So, here is the link to the auction, it will go till June 1st. You can bid by going to the link and posting your bid. Jen's story is also on the page, as well as an anonymous option, by messaging me with your bid.
I am also taking just donations for her if you do not win. The items are: Bellator cornerman's bucket, Bellator gloves, Red and Blue cornerman's towels (any of them autographed) as well as a Woman's Polanti Tulip Watch, never worn, brand new in the box. The current bid is $400, I know that we can do better people!! Thanks.
Yes, Mom's Day....I have learned to embrace this day over the years. My mom passed away of breast cancer when I was 15, so celebrating wasn't really on my menu. I have grown up a lot over the years, have truly amazing support, and a happy life. What's not to enjoy?
So Mark, my 14-year-old son, is very remarkable. He love BMX and is quite talented at it also. He is an honor roll student and earns his own money by working hard for it. What's not to be proud of, right? He is taking this entrepreneur class, ran by his shop teacher. They have been making benches, welcome signs, bird houses, starting plants etc... He also works at the concession stands during the track meets this spring.
Well, on Saturday (the day before Mothers Day), they had a sale at the school with the items they have been making. Mark and one other boy were there with their teacher; I introduced myself to him, and he had nothing but wonderful things to say about Mark. Said he is his right hand man, and his best student. I never get tired of hearing that!
So we bought his bear welcome sign, an aloe plant, some pepper plants and a tomato plant. For Mothers Day, he brought me home a nice hanging planter pot with pansies and marigolds in it from their sale, along with three cartons of moss roses. I planted those in a rectangular pot and put them on the porch, they are awesome!
We relaxed and ate some lobster at the end of the day! Back to work Monday morning!!

Training and meal diary 5/06/13-5/10/13

FYI: Before each workout I take my pre workout drink ~ Nutrabio’s Extreme Nitric Stack (Kiwi Strawberry) L-Proline and BCAA 5000. After each workout I drink a Whey Protein shake, also made by Nutrabio with ATP Evolution (a post workout recovery). As well as my supplements with breakfast and dinner.Monday 5-6-13
8AM: Rode the bike for 15min, did some stretching, about 10mins, then started my strength training.
Tricep Press ~ 45#KB 3x10
Incline Press ~ 35# 3x15
100 GHD Situps
8PM: Rode the bike for 25min, stretched about 10min. Time for Cardio/Conditioning then training.
Cardio: 3 rounds~ 128#prowler push/18"Box Jumps/Tire Flips w/5airsquats.
Time for training ~ Ground and Pound drills, then rolling with strikes.
Meals:

Lunch ~ I eat a cheat meal (and sometimes a snack too) on this day. We went to the Pie Guys Pizza and picked up a delicious pizza to share! Extra Cheese, canadian bacon, jalapeno's and 1/2 onions and the other half w/mushrooms. Marky ate the rest later that night. lol

Dinner ~ 4oz chix, 1/2 sweet pot, 1/2 avo & a handful of raw spinach

Thursday 5-9-13
8AM: Bike for 25min and stretch for 15, then time to lift.
Toe2Bar ~ 5#ankle weights 100 reps
GHD Situps ~ 55#plate 3x25
8PM: Bike for 20min and stretch for 10.
Training: Usually this is MMA rounds night, but coach had a sneaky lil ground move to drill instead.......
Meals:

I am very grateful to have my amazing husband/coach in my corner; thanks for everything you do. I would like to thank my striking coach Aaron for all of the time you spend with me; it's paying off and everyone's noticing!! A big thanks to my training partner and good friend “Ferg” aka Ryan Ferguson for being such a great friend and putting in the hours at the gym with me!!!
I want to shout out to my gym Alternative Athletics Crossfit and 4th Ave. Dojo, this is truly the best place on Earth!!
I want to say thanks to all of my fans, family, and friends for all of your continued love and support! Thanks to Jack and Denny with ProMMAnow.com, as well as my sponsors ~ Training Mask ~ Nutrabio.com ~ Damage Control Mouthguards ~ GetSome Xtreme Gear ~ Solo Graphics ~ Dawgs 4ever 4ever Dawgs
Don't forget, you can follow me here on ProMMAnow!
On my website www.PatriciaVidonic.com
Twitter @LilPatriciaMMA
And on FaceBook at Little Patricia
Thanks again for all of your support!
XOXO Little Patricia
RedPower!!
[gallery columns="2" ids="115042,115041,115040,115039,115038,115037,115036,115035,115034,115033,115032"]]]>http://prommanow.com/2013/05/16/the-vidonic-chronicles-first-round-finish/feed/0The Vidonic Chronicles: Training Diary 2/18/13 – 2/23/13http://prommanow.com/2013/02/26/the-vidonic-chronicles-training-diary-21813-22313/
http://prommanow.com/2013/02/26/the-vidonic-chronicles-training-diary-21813-22313/#commentsTue, 26 Feb 2013 23:10:06 +0000http://prommanow.com/?p=110143This week we took it kind of easy, since we had fights the weekend before. As well as traveling, we all know that sucks the life right out of you, well it sure does me...
I am trying to walk around at a little lighter since my last fight. First off, I am getting too old to cut more than 5 or so pounds in the sauna at a time, but the main reason is I never want to feel the way I did during my last fight.
I tried to cut 17 pounds in 9 days, I got 15 pounds off and it cost me all of my energy about halfway through the first round. I couldn’t throw a punch, I even had a heel hook sitting in my lap, couldn’t grab for it either…
I am a smart and tough, still to this day have never been finished; however I could have won that fight if I had all of my strength and energy. I am still very grateful to fight for Bellator and cannot wait until they have me back!!
Let’s put this out there ~ I am looking for an MMA fight in April, or somewhere around there. I am 115 pounds (7-4), out of Billings, Montana. Please spread the word!!
Contact me on Facebook , Twitter or text/call my manager 406-672-1080!
**Local Billings People**
We are starting a youth (8yrs & up) grappling class, Monday & Fridays from 7pm-8pm Alternative Athletics Crossfit / 4th Ave. Dojo. This class starts the last week of Feb. if you are interested, please give us a call 406-672-1080.
[box type="shadow" ]
I want to start something new to interact with you all more here on my blog!!
I want you to comment on my blog, letting me know what submission you would like me to demonstrate, and each week, I will choose one and put it in my next blog. So lets start this week!! Thanks for all of your support!!
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I want to shout out to my gym Alternative Athletics Crossfit and 4th Ave. Dojo, this is truly the best place on earth!! I am very grateful to have my amazing husband/coach in my corner; thanks for everything you do. A big thanks to my training partner and good friend Ferg for putting in the hours at the gym with me!
I want to say thanks to all of my fans, family, and friends for all of your continued love and support. Thanks to Jack and Denny with ProMMAnow.com, as well as my sponsors ~ Polanti Watches , Training Mask , Nutrabio.com , Damage Control Mouthguards and also www.dcathletix.com , No Pain Just Glory, A-Anderson Bail Bonds, Black Sparrow Tattoo Club as well as Solo Graphics.
Please be sure to check out my website at www.patriciavidonic.com – my signature men’s and women’s shirts are ready to be ordered! You can also follow me on Twitter at @LilPatriciamma and on Facebook.
XOXO Little Patricia
~ Red Power ~
[divider]

Lil' P's Training & Diet Diary (2-18-13 to 2-23-13)

FYI: Before each workout I take my pre workout drink ~ Nutrabio’s Extreme Nitric Stack (Kiwi Strawberry) L-Proline and BCAA 5000. After each workout I drink a Whey Protein shake, also made by Nutrabio with ATP Evolution (a post workout recovery). As well as my supplements with breakfast and dinner.
Monday 2~18~138AM: Rode the bike for 15min, did some stretching, about 10mins, then started my strength training.
Ring dips ~ 26lb KB w/dip belt 5(sets)x8(reps) & 3x20 no weight
Kettlebell tricep press ~ 45lb 3x10
Incline dumbbell press ~ 45lb 3x8
Dumbbell press ~ 55lb 3x6
8PM: Between the flu and a long weekend, we called off training till tomorrow.

Wednesday 2~20~138AM: “non lifting” morning/ sometimes we go in and do a WOD, but not this Wed.
8PM: Rode the bike for 25min, did a 5min warm up before Cardio.
Cardio/Conditioning ~ 3rounds 1min each ~ push-ups, air squats, sit-ups, box jumps and planking.
Training: Ground technique and rolling.

“Little” Patricia Vidonic chronicled her journey to winning the Beatdown MMA women’s 110-pound title in her “Road to the Championship Blog”. Now that Patricia has achieved that goal, readers can follow “The Vidonic Chronicles” each week as she continues her journey toward her goal of becoming the top 110 and 115-pound female MMA fighter in the world.]]>http://prommanow.com/2013/02/26/the-vidonic-chronicles-training-diary-21813-22313/feed/0The Vidonic Chronicles: Workout Diaryhttp://prommanow.com/2013/02/10/the-vidonic-chronicles-workout-diary/
http://prommanow.com/2013/02/10/the-vidonic-chronicles-workout-diary/#commentsSun, 10 Feb 2013 22:11:19 +0000http://prommanow.com/?p=108591Monday 2-4-13
I had a bowl of oatmeal with a huge spoonful of Adam’s Natural Creamy Peanut butter in it, along with my Nutrabio supplements. This is generally what I eat every morning for breakfast; if and when I have the time, I always love eating egg whites, turkey sausage, cheese, jalapeno and whatever else I can throw in a pan and scramble up.
AM: Rode the stationary bike for about 20min ~ Strength training/chest & triceps.
Ring Dips ~ 3 sets of 8 (26lb KB hanging between my legs) & 3 sets of 20 no weight.
Swissball Flys ~ 3 sets of 10 with 55lb dumbbells
KB Tricep press ~ 45lb KB’s 3 sets of 10
Incline Dumbbell Press ~ 40lb dumbbells 3 sets of 10
PM: Rode the stationary bike for about 25min ~ Cardio & Conditioning we did a fun body weight workout: 21-15-9 Pushups/Boxjumps/situps/air squats. Then Ground & Pound rounds with Jason and Ferg.
Tuesday 2-5-13
AM: Rode the stationary bike for about 20min ~ Strength training/back & bicep.
Sumo Dead-lift High Pull (SDHP) ~ 1min intervals w/30sec break (the round w/only 10 was due to having to use the restroom, ha, then I was able to bring it back up. lol)
85lbs ~ 15, 15, 10, 15 reps.
Pull-ups ~ 40lb vest/ 6 sets of 5, holding at the top for a couple sec. then control myself down slowly to fully extended arms.
Deadlifts ~ I warm up to this weight ~ 155lbs 3 sets of 15 (quickly)
Hammer curls ~ 45lb dumbbells 1 set at 6 reps then 2 sets w/40lb dumbbells ~ 10 reps.
Wednesday 2-6-13
AM: Rode the stationary bike for about 25min. We don’t do any strength training in the morning. So we came in and I did the WOD from the day before here at the gym() called Adrian ~ 7 rounds ~ 3 forward rolls, 5 wall walks, 7 Toes 2 Bar & 9 24”Box jumps. I got 10:32. And Jason did the WOD “Dirty Scoundrel” coming out with a good time of 20:25. Awesome time breaking a sweat with my man!
PM: Rode the stationary bike for about 25min
Cardio/Cond. 2 rounds ~ 200 singles jump rope/200 situps/15boxjumps. Then finished off the night rolling with Jason & Ferg.
Thursday 2-7-13
AM: Rode the stationary bike for about 20min
70lb KB Shrugs x 50 reps
GHD sit-ups ~ 40lb vest+55lb plate 55 reps
Push Press ~ warmed up to 105 5 sets of 5 then 2 sets of 110 5 reps.
Toe 2 Bar ~ 10lbs of ankle weights x 60 reps
PM: Rode the stationary bike for about 25min
MMA round with Ferg, and worked with Brittney(a new student). Fun night!
Friday 2-8-13
AM: Rode the stationary bike for about 25min
Hamstring extensions on GHD ~ 20lb vest + 55lb weight plate 3 sets of 10
Lunges ~ 65lbs on barbell 3 sets of 20.
Front squats (cleaned up)~ 75lbs 3 sets of 10 for time.
Calf raises ~ 165lbs 3sets of 25 reps
[caption id="attachment_108598" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Lifting Weights[/caption]
I sent out Timmy Prisk’s signature shirt that he won last week, along with a pair of gloves he purchased! I included a couple pix for him, as well as his niece Erin. Please be sure to take a pic of the shadow box for me, and maybe a pic of you holding it all!
This week is going to go by very quickly because we will be heading up as a family to Great Falls, Montana on Thursday, my teammates will be fighting on Saturday night. A huge night of fights will be at the Best Western Heritage Inn in Great Falls, Montana.
Two of my teammates will be fighting on this card, as well as some good friends & supporters from Electric City MMA in Great Falls, see you all up there real soon. Team Vidonic is going there to DOMINATE!
I hope you all enjoyed my new training portion of my blog, I will be adding more of my nutrition and diet logs, along with special stuff that I bake for my guys.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog, I love sharing with you all, and hope if you ever have any questions for me to please contact me on my website!!
I greatly appreciate all of your support!
I want to shout out to my gym Alternative Athletics Crossfit and 4th Ave. Dojo, this is truly the best place on Earth! I am very grateful to have my amazing husband/coach in my corner; thanks for always having my best interest at mind. I also want t o thank my training partner and friend Ferg for putting in the hours at the gym with me! Thanks guys!!
I want to say thanks to all of my fans, family, and friends for all of your continued love and support. Thanks to Jack and Denny with ProMMAnow.com, as well as my sponsors ~ Polanti Watches , Training Mask , Nutrabio.com , Damage Control Mouthguards and also www.dcathletix.com , No Pain Just Glory, A-Anderson Bail Bonds, Black Sparrow Tattoo Club as well as Solo Graphics.
Please be sure to check out my website at www.patriciavidonic.com – my signature men’s and women’s shirts are ready to be ordered! You can also follow me on Twitter at @LilPatriciamma and on Facebook.
XOXO Little Patricia
~ Red Power ~
[gallery columns="2" ids="102808,108151,108152,108157,106625,108154,108595,108597,108598"]
“Little” Patricia Vidonic chronicled her journey to winning the Beatdown MMA women’s 110-pound title in her “Road to the Championship Blog”. Now that Patricia has achieved that goal, readers can follow “The Vidonic Chronicles” each week as she continues her journey toward her goal of becoming the top 110 and 115-pound female MMA fighter in the world.]]>http://prommanow.com/2013/02/10/the-vidonic-chronicles-workout-diary/feed/5The Vidonic Chronicles: Mint Oreo brownie beatdownhttp://prommanow.com/2013/01/28/the-vidonic-chronicles-mint-oreo-brownie-beatdown/
http://prommanow.com/2013/01/28/the-vidonic-chronicles-mint-oreo-brownie-beatdown/#commentsMon, 28 Jan 2013 20:25:47 +0000http://prommanow.com/?p=107601
Hey everyone, hope the new year has been going great! I am training as usual, waiting for an opportunity to come along for some work. Putting in time at the gym is the best thing in the world to me; whether it’s lifting, cardio or training, I love it all. My teammate Ferg is getting ready for his next fight, on Feb.16th in Great Falls, Montana.
If you are in the area, please come out and support Team Vidonic, you can buy tickets here! He is prepared, he’s been on a strict diet for eight weeks, and has all the tools to bring home the victory. Time to get out there and do work. This will be a great night of fights, a definite must see!!
Mark got his report card, and yes honor roll again, 3.71 GPA!! We are so proud of him, he is turning out to be a pretty cool lil' man. He has been out riding this winter as much as the weather will allow. Attempting to shovel the skate park on the weekends, and riding street. He is on a mission right now to go to a BMX camp called Woodward this summer, I think it would be a great opportunity for him, so stay tuned on what the happenings are for our BMXer, pictures and more videos to come!
Haha, don’t you just love when I post about my cheat days or desserts that I make? Well I don’t always think of them myself, this last one was a gift from my Facebook stream. So thank you to whomever shared, liked or commented on it!! Very good, Jason picked out mint Oreos and I did some peanut butter sandwich cookies with peanut butter between them. Oh and "them" meaning brownie cupcakes. The pictures are below, I don’t think they did as much justice as the taste…
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog, I love sharing with you all, and hope if you ever have any questions for me to please contact me on my website!!
I greatly appreciate all of your support!
I want to shout out to my gym Alternative Athletics Crossfit and 4th Ave. Dojo, this is truly the best place on Earth! I am very grateful to have my amazing husband/coach in my corner; thanks for always having my best interest at mind. I also want t o thank my training partner and friend Ferg for putting in the hours at the gym with me! Thanks guys!!
I want to say thanks to all of my fans, family, and friends for all of your continued love and support. Thanks to Jack and Denny with ProMMAnow.com, as well as my sponsors ~ Polanti Watches , Training Mask , Nutrabio.com , Damage Control Mouthguards and also www.dcathletix.com , No Pain Just Glory, A-Anderson Bail Bonds, Black Sparrow Tattoo Club as well as Solo Graphics.
Please be sure to check out my website at www.patriciavidonic.com – my signature men’s and women’s shirts are ready to be ordered! You can also follow me on Twitter at @LilPatriciamma and on Facebook.
XOXO Little Patricia
~ Red Power ~
[gallery columns="2" ids="107605,107606,107607,107608,107609,107610,107611,107612,107613,107614,107615,107616,107617,107618,107619"]]]>http://prommanow.com/2013/01/28/the-vidonic-chronicles-mint-oreo-brownie-beatdown/feed/0Product Review: F3 Nutrition Air Speedhttp://prommanow.com/2012/12/16/product-review-f3-nutrition-air-speed/
http://prommanow.com/2012/12/16/product-review-f3-nutrition-air-speed/#commentsSun, 16 Dec 2012 22:52:09 +0000http://prommanow.com/?p=105042[caption id="attachment_105046" align="alignright" width="246"] Photo courtesy of F3Nutrition.com[/caption]
In this lastest installment of “Furby’s World Tour of Supplements”, I’ll be taking a look at another product from F3 Supplements, Air Speed Endurance. In case you missed my first experience with F3, be sure to check out my review of ANNIHILATE.

From F3Nutrition.com:AIR SPEED™ has been developed with ingredients clinically proven to increase the oxygen carrying capacity of blood, increase lactic threshold, enhance VO2 Max, improve endurance performance and enhance recovery.* The extra oxygen may significantly increase the muscles' energy production and can help improve athletic performance, intensity and duration.*Key Benefits of AIR SPEED™ :

Reduce pre-workout fatigue with a sustained boost in energy.*

Augments short and long-term energy stores for explosive power and prolonged endurance.*

Increased blood flow to working muscles while constantly supplying them with much needed oxygen, phosphocreatine, and glucose.*

I tried the Raspberry Lemonade flavor of Air Speed. It has a solid flavor – in the time that I used it, I alternated between mixing it with 10-12 ounces of water or 8 ounces of water and 4-6 ounces of orange juice. It definitely has a good flavor – as expected, the less liquid I used, the sweeter it was, but it was easy to drink and mixed with solid shaking in a normal water bottle.
In terms of the product’s effectiveness, I loved it. I can say, without a doubt, this has been my favorite preworkout supplement that I have tried so far. With Air Speed, I did not feel any effects while waiting for my workout to start.
But I always noticed the effects during my workout, especially the cardio part. Depending on the day, I would do anywhere from 30-60 minutes of cardio on an elliptical machine.
Since I did not feel any effects prior to starting my workout the first time, I wondered how effective it would be, but on the first day I was using it, at a point during my cardio where I would normally have to slow the pace down, I started thinking “OK, about time to slow down,” but then I realized that physically, I did not need to slow down as I normally did.
It was like that throughout my workout - at many points where I would normally need to take a break, while using Air Speed, I did not need to.
I have used Air Speed daily since I stopped using Annihilate, and it has never disappointed me. For a test, on various days throughout the time I have been using it, I would not use Air Speed and instead drink a cup of coffee about half an hour before my workout, or have a large glass of water.
I definitely noticed a difference on the days where I did not use Air Speed in that my performance was decreased. I could not maintain the same high pace as I did on Air Speed, and I felt that I lacked the same energy I did when using Air Speed.
A serving of Air Speed comes in at only 5 calories, and 0 carbs. You can see the full ingredient list at F3Nutrition.com. There are 30 servings in a bottle, and it can be purchased on F3Nutrition.com for $44.98.
This is the same price as Annihilate, so if your budget would only allow you to pick one, I would say it depends on your goal - if you are looking for a better pump while lifting or for more strength, go for Annihilate. If you are looking for endurance over a long workout, go for Air Speed, simple as that. Both are quality preworkout supplements depending on your goal.
F3 offers a full range of supplements including pre and post workout supplements, protein, BCAAS, greens, multi-vitamins, fish oil, digestive enzymes, the whole nine yards. To check out everything they have to offer, visit F3Nutrition.com, like their Facebook page, and follow them on Twitter, @F3Nutrition.
I stated this in my Annihilate review, but it is worth repeating - one of things about F3 that impressed me the most was Mark’s knowledge of supplements and the helpful advice he continuously offered me throughout the process. As a founder and President of a company like F3, one would expect Mark to have the knowledge, but his willingness to share it was pleasantly surprising.
We had numerous discussions about supplements, workouts, and health in general. Mark also interacts with fans of F3 on Twitter, offering advice and info, and promoting the company’s multiple athletes, so in addition to having quality products, they have excellent customer service.]]>http://prommanow.com/2012/12/16/product-review-f3-nutrition-air-speed/feed/1Conscious negligence: The athlete’s battle with mind and diethttp://prommanow.com/2012/02/16/conscious-negligence-the-athletes-battle-with-mind-and-diet/
http://prommanow.com/2012/02/16/conscious-negligence-the-athletes-battle-with-mind-and-diet/#commentsThu, 16 Feb 2012 22:27:37 +0000http://prommanow.com/?p=86078http://prommanow.com/2012/02/16/conscious-negligence-the-athletes-battle-with-mind-and-diet/feed/8Dan “The Wolfman” video blog – supplementshttp://prommanow.com/2012/01/17/dan-the-wolfman-video-blog-supplements/
http://prommanow.com/2012/01/17/dan-the-wolfman-video-blog-supplements/#commentsWed, 18 Jan 2012 02:09:31 +0000http://prommanow.com/?p=83733http://prommanow.com/2012/01/17/dan-the-wolfman-video-blog-supplements/feed/0ProMMAnow.com book review – The Dolce Diet: Living Lean by Mike Dolcehttp://prommanow.com/2011/12/28/prommanow-com-book-review-the-dolce-diet-living-lean-by-mike-dolce/
http://prommanow.com/2011/12/28/prommanow-com-book-review-the-dolce-diet-living-lean-by-mike-dolce/#commentsWed, 28 Dec 2011 19:07:24 +0000http://prommanow.com/?p=81937
Known as "the patron saint of weight cutting," Mike Dolce can be seen alongside his high profile UFC fighters such as Thiago Alves, Vitor Belfort, Chael Sonnen, and many other elite MMA athletes. Dolce doesn't just show up when the cameras are rolling. He is there living with them. When they are cutting weight, so is he. As a peak performance coach, he is an extension of his athletes, and his latest book The Dolce Diet: Living Lean has been an international bestseller in 2011.
"The Dolce Diet" has been proven under the rigorous demands and stresses of professional athletes, but what does it do for the average person?
The introduction says it all:

Living Lean is proudly based on ideals derived from my personal experiences, observations, and continued results with the world's most recognized athletes. I'm thrilled to share them here, so you can immediately begin leading a healthier life at your own pace -- one positive choice at a time.

The primary theme of the book is "Don't count calories -- Make calories count." In that sense, it becomes apparent that Living Lean is not a diet. It's a lifestyle.
The first five chapters explain how Dolce got where he is today. From his early childhood memories of choosing a muscle magazine over a candy bar, to talking about his father's stroke, Dolce explains his journey to becoming the top peak conditioning coach in MMA today.
As thrilling as it is for Dolce to work with the elite athletes of MMA, he explains in Chapter 6 that it's the everyday man and women that brings him the most joy. Letters of inspiration and success have poured in since the release of 3 Weeks to Shredded, and Living Lean has continued that momentum, resulting in a tight-knit community of fans from across the world that have shared their triumphs using The Dolce Diet.
In Chapter 7, Dolce gets into the actual nutrition principles and explains what he means by "Don't Count Calories -- Make Calories Count":

The Dolce Diet works because it is not a diet. It is a set of common-sense principles that, when applied, outlines a way of eating for longevity. The results are energy, increased vitality, overall vibrancy, and a brighter outlook and yes, when portioned correctly, weight loss.

Dolce goes on to give readers an invaluable grocery list of foods and ingredients that are critical to properly preparing the recipes in the following chapters. A meal plan is also given to the readers, along with an easy-to-follow timeline on when to eat. The recipes are coded to be used by different groups, such as athletes, or those following a gluten-free diet. The recipes can even be followed by strict vegans.
I have personally tried almost every recipe in the book, and have to say that they are among my favorite meals. I have adapted many of recipes into my daily and weekly routines, and even my children enjoy eating them.
After interviewing John Alessio before his last fight in November, I decided to order Living Lean and write not only this review, but a blog about actually following the plan for three weeks. After starting at 236 pounds, I finished the first full week at 221 pounds. I have to say that this book has changed my lifestyle, and the principles I have learned have been implemented in my daily life. The changes that I have made with Living Lean have me well on my way to living up to my full potential as an athlete in 2012, whether I am running marathons, playing basketball, or training at the gym.
This nutrition plan works -- plain and simple -- whether you are a competing athlete or a father that just throws a baseball around with your kids.
No nutrition plan is complete without a workout plan, and Dolce covers that in the remaining chapters. From explaining the basics of sets and reps, to full blown workout plans that his fighters use -- the book is highly instructional, including photos of Dolce himself doing the exercises so that the reader can properly execute the movements.
The support and knowledge of Mike Dolce doesn't end with the pages of Living Lean. Dolce takes his coaching to another level with his readers, by answering and encouraging all that reach out to him on his website, and in real time on Twitter. If you have read the book and have something to tell Mike, mention him on Twitter @TheDolceDiet and you WILL get a reply back!
For more information on The Dolce Diet: Living lean, visit Mike's website, or follow him on Twitter @TheDolceDiet. Living Lean is available online at Barnes and Noble, or at Amazon.com. ]]>http://prommanow.com/2011/12/28/prommanow-com-book-review-the-dolce-diet-living-lean-by-mike-dolce/feed/3